100+ games under his belt made Sioux Falls 3 times national champs and also made Michael Penix Jr. a Heisman runner-up. All of this and people still doubt what Kalen DeBoer is capable of doing with Alabama Crimson Tide. The season opener showed us what the new Tides under DeBoer were capable of. The offensive line steamrolled Kentucky and grabbed a mammoth 63-0 win. Not only that, the game also proved that whatever DeBoer had done with Jalen Milroe and his offensive capabilities, is finally paying off. The QB managed to lock in 3 TDs and completed 7 out of 9 passes.

Yet, here we are, with Caroline Fenton from Rivals being concerned about what Alabama’s future holds. “What happens when Alabama plays a team that they’re not gonna out physical?” Fenton pointed out. The game against the Bulls was a close one. Any fan would agree that for the Tides to be this cornered during the first 3 quarters was a surprising thing. It was the 4th quarter when the offensive line finally kicked in and back-to-back TDs got DeBoer and the Tides a 42-16 win. “They play Georgia in just a few weeks. You’re not gonna out tough, Georgia,” Fenton mentioned. Now this is where things get a bit murky. You gotta keep in mind that DeBoer still has access to almost the same roster that Nick Saban had access to when he defeated Georgia. Yes, some players did indeed hit the transfer portal, but from what we saw, because of Ryan Williams, Milroe, Justice Haynes, and Jamarion Miller, Bama is in a safe spot.

And if we are coming down to the offensive line, Alabama right now has probably the best O-line in the country. The defense is just on the same level. DC Kane Wommack had indeed mentioned that he was “extremely disappointed in the lack of takeaways,” regarding the defensive plays against USF. You still gotta keep in mind that DeBoer has access to talents like Keon Sabb and Malachi Moore who can single-handedly turn things around for Bama. If all of that wasn’t enough, Kirby Smart has already lost one of his aces who probably could’ve saved the Dawgs against the Tides.

Kalen DeBoer has one up over Georgia

We got the news on September 3rd that DL Mykel Williams has suffered a Grade 2 ankle injury. This alone severely cripples the Bulldogs’ defensive line. While fans have yet to see much of Williams’ skill on the turf, Smart will need him if he wants to stop the Alabama rushes.

While it is true that on the offensive front, Smart has access to QB Carson Beck who has enough capability to turn the game around, you still gotta keep in mind that the Milroe and Ryan Williams combo would be a nightmare to deal with. However, this is CFB. Anything can go sideways. We gotta wait a few more days before we get to see Bama kick it off against the Dawgs.